


Singing Softly to Me

by tinbuckets



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: ((heh...maybe)), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Music Store, F/M, Felix is a music snob, Light Angst, Sylvain and Mercie are sneaky matchmakers, bad words, im projecting my music taste onto these dorks and you cant stop me, just a bit, my friends are tired of hearing about my music but i need an outlet, no beta we die like Glenn, other characters not tagged, youngins beware
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26638249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinbuckets/pseuds/tinbuckets
Summary: Felix is doing his best to be there for his make-shift family, but he's barely keeping it together. Mercedes and Sylvain try to help, but they know Felix needs something different. He needs a day off, a day to himself. So, Mercedes sends the grumpy music snob to the perfect CD store in a part of town he's never been. Who knows, he might just find someone who he never knew he needed, and who needs him just as much.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Glenn Fraldarius/Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sylvain Jose Gautier/Mercedes von Martritz
Kudos: 16





	1. Bookshop Casanova

**Author's Note:**

> hello and welcome to my first fic ever!!   
> pls be brutal. i havent written in so long and need the constructive criticism.
> 
> work title: singing softly to me-kings of convenience  
> chapter title- bookshop casanova- the clientele

There aren’t enough words to describe the excitement Felix feels when approaching a previously unknown CD store. It’s an overwhelming feeling, a bit like asking someone to go with you to the big dance in middle school, the perfect distraction from all his worries. It’s mostly anxious anticipation, this man takes his music  _ seriously. _ So when his friend Mercedes told him about a CD store in a part of Fhirdiad he’d never ventured through before, he was… skeptically excited. He didn’t even notice at first that she didn’t give him a name, just typed the address into his phone with a knowing smile. It was only when he was standing in front of the store that he realized, this was very much intentional.

He huffs, with a slight smile, out of the sheer annoyance of it.  _ What kind of an idiot would name their fucking store ‘ _ CDs 4 Thee _ ’? _ Now, Felix isn’t usually the type to do anything he’s not interested in, especially when it comes to music. This month,  _ hell this year, _ had been especially tiring and he didn’t want to go through the whole ‘small talk with the clerk, brief browsing, ultimate defeat, and awkward apologetic glances as he leaves without buying anything’ thing. He can’t even see inside, the windows are almost completely covered in posters, which doesn’t give him any more confidence in the place’s likability. But, despite his best efforts to not find anything redeeming about the shop, he sees a little sign taped on the inside of the glass door that reads ‘ _ Yes we know the name is stupid pls stop telling us we can’t change it _ ’. This, for some reason, charms him. This sign could have easily been written by some stuck up old guy who was tired of criticism, but Felix just couldn’t stop himself from entering. 

A little bell rings as he opens the door, and as he surveys this new location, he feels relief wash over him. Not just because of the blast of warm air, which is more than welcome at this point. This is a place that cares about it’s customer’s experience, and most importantly, about music. Soft indie music was playing, instead of the garbage pop a lot of other stores seem to love. There aren’t any overhead lights; instead the store is carefully lit with fairy lights and a couple of lamps scattered in the corners. The walls are lined with tall, orange bookshelves that house CDs, seemingly categorized by genre. There are a few more bookshelves in the center, making this place feel understandably more like a bookstore than a CD store. To add to that, there’s another bookshelf in the corner, with actual books and a speaker that seems to be the volume control for the music playing in the store, sat next to a comfy looking chair. A designated reading nook...in a CD store.  _ Weird. _

As Felix wanders about, looking for anything interesting, he notices the distinct lack of a clerk at the counter in the back and a somewhat mischievous smile creeps across his face. There is absolutely nothing better than browsing in total peace, without worry of anybody’s uncomfortable glances silently asking you ‘you’ve been here for hours could you please leave?’. He promptly takes off his coat and backpack puts them on the reading chair to free up his hands for some hardcore CD carrying.

After about 10 minutes of silently browsing the folk section, trying his best to not let his mind wander out of the world of music, he hears noise coming from the back room. And just like that, he almost can’t stand this place. Almost. Two different sources of music playing at once is distracting and kinda rude, but he isn’t quite done here yet. He almost bangs on the counter in hopes of alerting whoever is back there that he’s there, but then he hears a voice. That whoever is singing. And just like that, as if he isn’t in control of his own body, he turns the indie music all the way down and listens. 

The voice belongs to a girl, he deduces. A girl who likes a variety of genres it seems, a lot of it Felix doesn’t even know. There are a few songs he likes, but most of the songs he recognizes are garbage pop songs that play on the radio way too much. Oddly enough, he doesn’t mind them when she’s singing. She seems to be cleaning, every so often, a soft ‘heck!’ or ‘aRgH’ can be heard, usually accompanied by clatter of some kind. _ It’s adorable. _ He’s completely enchanted by whoever this magical voice belongs to, off key, missed words and all. So he stays, happily browsing yet again.

After about an hour of mostly constant singing, and at least five separate times of suppressing the temptation to go back there and finally put a face to the voice, Felix heard her voice getting louder. He whips his head around and stares at the doorway behind the counter, heart pounding in anticipation.  _ Wait, this is stupid. Why am I nerv- _

Then she enters and he swears time stops. For a brief moment, before her eyes land on him, he’s completely enraptured. And terrified.  _ Terrified? _ She’s adorable, not the slightest bit scary. She’s holding a heavy looking box, shoulders slumped slightly as she struggles to the counter, barely managing to stay on key. Her beautiful orange hair is clearly suffering from all the cleaning she’s been doing, he can see something speckled in her messy bun... _ is that dust?  _ She’s wearing baggy jeans and a light blue tank top that fits her  _ really well. _ Not the least bit intimidating… so why is his heart racing? Why can’t he tear his eyes off her? Why does his face feel so hot? He’s never been this nervous in his entire life.  _ Just who is this girl? _

A sudden thud forces him out of his head, pulling his eyes back to hers, and after what feels like a lifetime, they meet. Her newly free hands cover her mouth, she’s bright red. She frantically scans him… like _ she’s _ afraid? Her eyes land on his stack of cds, at least twelve ( _ the prices here are really good, it has nothing to do with… other distractions) _ and he swears she somehow turns redder.

“Um…” She forces out, hands still covering her mouth, “How long...have you been here?” She’s practically squeaking now, it seems like she wants to duck behind the counter, out of sight. Even her speaking voice, even when terrified… she’s… _ she’s wonderful…  _

“About an hour and a half I think,” Felix shrugs, he really doesn’t know. It felt like the world's shortest eternity. Her hands drop, mouth agape. Still bright red, but now… she looks angry.

“An hour an- why didn’t you say anything!” She huffs, slightly stomping one foot. As much as Felix enjoys this, which is a lot for  _ many _ reasons, he can’t but wonder if she realizes that he’s a customer. He really doesn’t mind poor customer service, not everyone will be people persons, he gets it. But… this feels more like an interaction between friends, people who already know each other and don’t mind the other’s quirks. Maybe this is a good thing? Barriers already thawed and all that.

“I… you have a beautiful voice,” He can feel his face turning red again. He turns his head slightly, hoping she won’t notice, but she probably does.

“What…?” Her shoulders relax a bit, her mouth ever so slightly turns up.  _ She’s surprised? _ “Are you serious? That’s… that’s creepy!” She seems to be trying to be angry, but she’s still smiling.

“That wasn’t my intention! Jeez, I shouldn’t have even said anything,” He spits out, not realizing how standoffish he seems until he sees the girl shrink a bit. She’s scared again.

“Um,” Felix clears his throat to signify his second attempt, “I wasn’t trying to be rude, I just didn’t want to leave. You have a beautiful voice.” He repeats somewhat aggressively, hoping this time she’ll believe him. She seems to, as she softens a bit.

“Oh, stop saying that!” She blushes, an awkward smile becoming a little more genuine,”If you keep telling me that, I might just believe you.” He’s about to do just that, but this girl doesn’t seem to want to hear it.

“Well, you’ve waited long enough!” She says with a decisive clap, ”Would you like to check out now?” She motions to the register on the counter, clearly hinting that  _ she  _ would like him to check out now. Felix shakes his head, her smile falters a bit. While he knows it can’t be personal, they literally just met, he can’t help but feel like she doesn’t like him.

She sinks back into a chair that was apparently behind the counter the whole time, arms crossed childishly.  _ Is she pouting? _ Felix decides that’s as much of a ‘go ahead’ he’ll get, so he goes back to browsing. Another twenty minutes pass before he’s ready to go. It was mostly silent and very awkward.  _ Not a bad awkward _ , he notes.

“What’s your name?” Felix asks as he makes his way to the counter, she perks up a bit that he’s finally leaving. Again, he’s trying really hard not to take this personally.

“Um, it’s Annette,” Her entire body is screaming apprehension, her eyes dart over to an empty chair beside her. Is someone else supposed to be here? Does she feel threatened by him?

“I’m Felix and I’m not going to hurt you.” He states, trying to ease her nerves. It seems to work, apprehension is quickly replaced with curiosity and confusion.

“Wait. Do you know Mercedes von Martritz?” She leans slightly over the counter, eyes practically sparkling. 

“Mercedes? Yeah, she told me to come here.” Felix furrows his eyebrows. Just what is Mercedes up to here?

“OH! Duh! I’m so dumb! She told me you were coming sometime soon!” Annette sticks her hand out, her expression completely warm, void of anything negative. “It’s, um, nice to meet you!”

“Are you sure? You seemed sure I was going to kill you,” Felix smirks, trying to keep the lightness that’s just formed between them. He takes her hand, it's soft and warm, if a little dusty. She bristles a bit, before relaxing again.

“Heh, yeah. Grumpy looking strangers who stare at you for ten minutes at a time tend to put a girl off,” She giggles  _ the cutest fucking giggle ever _ , while ringing up the massive pile of CDs Felix has accquired. “I hope you liked it here! Mercie mentioned you’re a bit of a music snob.”

“Snob’s a bit harsh, let’s say I’m particular.” Felix huffs, crossing his arms intending to be annoyed, but one look at Annette’s beaming face foils his plans. He tries his best to stifle a smile, for better or worse. ”And yes, this is the most welcoming music store I’ve ever been to. It also has the stupidest name, but that doesn’t detract when you’re actually inside.” 

“Hey! Didn’t you see the sign?” She laughs as she jokingly throws his receipt at his face. They both watch as it delicately floats down to the floor, never once making contact with its intended victim. He looks back at her with his tamest goofy smile, she does the same but she’s not holding anything back. They share a laugh, a completely natural and comfortable laugh. It’s a bit odd considering how awkward everything had been before, but he’s not complaining. She puts the CDs in a canvas bag that has a green tree with CDs instead of leaves embroidered on it. “This one’s on the house,” She awkwardly winks, cheeks slightly pink. It’s obvious she’s not used to winking, so he decides to ignore it and not embarrass her further. 

“Shoot!” Annette says just as Felix takes the bag, “I had a ton of recommendations! Mercie tried to tell me some of what you’re into. I even made a list!” She sighs. Felix was wrong about the customer service here if she went through all that trouble just for him. 

“Just tell me now.” 

“Uh, I didn’t want to rush you, but we were actually supposed to close 40 minutes ago.” She blushes slightly, sheepishly rubbing her neck.

“Really? But it’s still-” He turns around, hoping to see the light from the setting sun illuminating the covered windows, only to be met with a small window on the door of dark blue. It is not still light out. ”Oh wow. My bad.”

“It’s no worries! Well, it was at the time, cuz I thought you were gonna kill me and all, but now it’s totally fine! You’re a friend!” She beams. “Next time come earlier. And tell me you’re here!” She scolds, only slightly joking. 

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” He tries not to sound disappointed, though unsure why he’s disappointed. This all makes total sense. She has to close the shop, he obviously can’t be here for that. Why does he want to be? Why does he want to stay by her side for the rest of his life? Why is she so fucking cute? Wait. Shit. Why is his face so hot again?

“Good, it’s a d-” Her face turns almost as red as his. She clears her throat, hoping he didn’t fill in her slip up. “Plan! It’s a plan.” He nods and turns to leave, hoping to avoid any more possible awkwardness. 

“Wait!” Annette calls out just a second too late, her voice drowned out by the little bell as this new prickly, intriguing and incredibly attractive person flees her store. She sighs as she bends down to pick up the little piece of paper she had carefully written her number on the back of.

“You forgot your receipt.”


	2. If Blue Could Be Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i forgot to mention this gets pretty sad, and I don't really know what im talking about here. i definitely dont want to be insensitive in any way, if i offend anyone i swear it isn't intentional, im just a dummy.
> 
> chapter title: if blue could be happiness- Florist

“Yes?” Felix says curtly to the blonde woman on the other end of the phone. He knows what she’s gonna talk about, he can already feel his face turning pink. He’s sat in front of his computer in his bedroom, desperately trying to focus on his work. A task that is almost impossible when all he can think about is the redhead from the CD store. Annette. It’s been about a day and she’s still in his mind, it’s beginning to feel like there’s never been a day when he hasn’t thought of her.

“I hear you went to Annette’s shop the other day! What did you think?” Mercedes’ voice, calming and cheery, is exactly the voice he needs to hear right now, though he’d never admit it. She’s a comfort to him, more like a mother than a friend, and she knows it. She seems to be attracted to people who desperately need love. While he doesn’t know her aim, and her meddling is annoying, he can trust that she only wants what makes him happy. He can trust her not to tell anyone, especially a certain redheaded asshole who doesn’t know the meaning of discretion, anything he doesn’t want her to.

“You didn’t tell me about her. Or anything really.” He says, a hint of sourness on his tongue, trying to mask his thoughts. _She was perfect. It was exactly what I needed right now, how did you know?_ “What are you trying to do here?”

“Oh Felix! You’re so sour all the time. You’re right, I did keep everything I could a secret, I wanted you to act completely naturally! It may sound silly, but I thought it would make more of an impact if you didn’t know what to expect.” 

“I almost didn’t go in. I could barely get past that f-... the name.” Felix has to constantly remind himself not to swear in front of Mercedes. Nothing happens, she doesn’t scold him or anything. In fact, he’s sure he’s heard _her_ swear a couple of times. It just makes him feel incredibly guilty, like swearing in front of a sweet old lady. As expected, she laughs at the mention of the name.

“Ah ha yes, it is unfortunate. Did Annie tell you the story?” She giggles. _She goes by Annie? Oh this is just too perfect._ The teasing possibilities with a name like that are endless. Wait, teasing? _Ugh, no more Sylvain for a week._

“What story?”

“Well, it’s not really my place to say. I’m sure she’ll tell you eventually!” 

“Eventually? What exactly is going on here, Mercedes?”

“Nothing’s going on! I had just assumed you’d go back, Sylvain tells me you can’t stop talking about it!” _Ugh, Sylvain_. He’s mentioned the store exactly three times, and Annette once. Though, for Felix, that’s pretty much equivalent to gushing. Of course two of the only people in the world who would know that have to be dating. He’s been found out.

“...”

“Felix? Is everything ok?” Her concern is not only audible, he can visualize her sad eyes and meaningful stare. Even on the phone, Mercedes is a kind presence.

“Please don’t tell anyone.” He blushes slightly and pinches the bridge of his nose. This is really bothersome. The last thing he needs right now is rumors of his infatuation with a girl he doesn’t even know spreading through their friend group. “This is embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing? I think it’s sweet! It’s like a meet-cute!”

“Mercie, _please._ I can’t think about that right now.” Felix rarely calls her Mercie, and when he does, she knows he’s serious. 

“Oh I’m sorry Felix. I got carried away.” He almost regrets his request, this tone on Mercedes was incredibly dangerous. She could ask him to do anything and he’d _have_ to or risk never being able to look at himself ever again. Not that she ever would, she’s too good. “Is everything alright? You sound concerned.”

“I’m fine,” He spits. He’s already tired of the conversation they haven’t even had yet. Of course he’s concerned, every second he isn’t thinking of Annette, he’s worried about Glenn. Thankfully, there haven’t been a lot of seconds when he hasn’t thought of Annette. And as much as he wants to leave it at that, he knows Mercedes will see through him. Though she won’t want to pry, she’ll worry about him for the rest of the day. Then of course she’ll tell Sylvain and then he’ll get a lecture about how ‘impolite it is to make a beautiful lady worry talk to me instead’ and then he and Ingrid will be dragged into a feelings discussion with Mercedes ultimately acting as a therapist anyway. “At least… I will be. I’m worried, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Alright, if you’re sure. You know you can talk to me about anything, I promise not to tell a soul.”

“I know. Thank you.”

“Of course! Have a good day, Felix.” And with that, she hangs up, leaving Felix in the quiet of his bedroom once again. He wanders over to his CD player and pops in _Our Endless Numbered Days_ which he bought from _that girl_ . As _On Your Wings_ plays, drowning out every passing car or loud drunk stumbling over themselves, all he can think about is Annette. 

“Annette’s shop…” He hums quietly, barely audible to even himself as he drifts into the world of his thoughts. _What does that mean? Did Mercedes say that just because she works there, or does she own it or something? No, she can’t own a business she’s my age. She must be in school, right? She seems like the type to work herself to the bone. I wonder what she studies…_

A knock on the door startles Felix out of his thoughts, so much so that he almost falls out of his chair. He pauses the music and opens the door, forgetting his usual door tactics in his groggy state. His sister-in-law doesn’t wait to be invited in and brushes past him, clearly panicked.

“Ingrid?” He’s used to her being pushy, but she usually tries to respect boundaries. Or she used to. For the past month, she’s been barging in the apartment whenever. Not that he can blame her, both him and Sylvain said it was alright, and he wouldn’t want to be alone in that apartment if he were her.

“Sorry,” She shakes her head, as if to bring herself back to reality, her blonde hair falling out of its loose braid. She always does her hair in the exact same way, it’s almost impossible for her to mess it up. Her green eyes meet his, puffy from crying with noticeable dark circles underneath. “I, um, this is gonna sound stupid. I-” She almost gets it out, only to break down in tears, seemingly to her own surprise. Felix puts his hands on her shoulders and makes sure she’s looking him in the eye.

“It’s alright, I know this is tough. Just spit it out. I want to help.” His warmest voice might still sound cold to the untrained ear, but Ingrid knows him far too well. She nods and wipes her eyes.

“Can you take me to the hospital? I want to talk to Glenn. I think it would help,” She looks away from her brother-in-law, hoping he can’t hear what she’s actually saying. _Please, this is too hard. I know this is selfish of me, it isn’t my intention to lessen your own suffering but…._ He scoffs at the thought, inadvertently confirming her fears and causing her shoulders to tense. He shakes his head a bit and settles on a comforting smile.

“Shut up, it’s fine.” _We take care of each other, Ingrid. I’m there for you whatever you need, and I know you’re here for me. Him being my brother doesn’t entitle me to ignore how hard this is for you._ “If this could help you get by, I support it.” She relaxes a bit and looks him in the eye again.

“Thank you Felix…I…” She starts to tear up again, so she pulls him into an uncomfortable, but somehow still comforting hug. They stand there for a minute before she pulls away. He nods, grabs his jacket and a stack of CDs for Ingrid to choose from, and away they go.

~*~

“Hey Tia, have you seen my left shoe?” Annette shouts, while stomping through her apartment in a desperate attempt to get out the door as soon as possible, seeing as being on time was already out of the question. Her roommates, Hilda and Lysithea, both have later classes for remarkably different reasons. Hilda is physically incapable of walking up before 9:00, and Lysithea likes to use the time in the morning to get even more work done.

“No, sorry! Have you checked Hilda’s room?” Lysithea was in the kitchen attempting to make pancakes for the first time. Ever since they moved in together, Lysithea has been determined to learn how to cook and bake as much as she possibly could. Such feats are easier said than done however, as most of the time her desired meal ends up on the floor. “SHIT NOT AGAIN.”

“Woah, you’re way too young to be using language like that,” Hilda finally appears from her room, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Her words hath invoked the wrath of the terrifying, knife-wielding Lysithea. 

She turns to the pink-haired girl, a devious glimmer in her eye. “Fight me, Dandelion.” 

“Woah Dandy! Do you know what time it is?” Annette over-gestures to the clock on the stove that reads 9:07. “This is the earliest I’ve even seen you up before! I didn’t even think you existed before 11:00...”

“First of all, don’t call me Dandy. Second of all, you’ve been running around for the past who-knows-how-long, making too much noise for a deaf armadillo to ignore.”

“Ok fair. Have you seen my left shoe? I really need to go, I’m already an hour late!” This earns concerned looks from both of the other girls. They finally notice Annette’s already wearing her big winter coat and has her bag slung over her shoulder. The only thing she’s missing is her left boot.

“Annie! That’s insane! Hanneman’s gonna kill you,” Lysithea puts her weapon down, and dusts off her hands on her apron. “What the hell happened yesterday? Why were you home so late?”

“Argh I know, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you when I get home, unless one of you wants to drive me?” She wiggles her eyebrows hopefully.

“HA! As if! Sorry girly, you know you gotta get yourself there. And no, I haven’t seen your left boot, just take my spare pair.” The pink-haired fashion major disappeared back into her room, and reemerged a couple seconds later with two heavy work type boots with a fuzzy lining. “In fact, just borrow ‘em for as long you need. They aren’t really my style.”

Annette drops her bag and runs into Hilda, hugging her as tight as she can without breaking bones. “You are too good Hilda! Thank you so much!” After a minute of shuffling, putting the other boots on and grabbing her bag, Annette plants an affectionate kiss on Hilda’s cheek.

“Ha ha anything for you, angel! Are you sure you’ll be alright today?” _Of course not but what can I do?_ Annette nods, her sadness poorly concealed with a smile. This doesn’t go unnoticed, her friend’s eyes soften. “You know you can call me or Tia anytime you need, right? Good. Now get out of here before you miss the whole day!” Annette does just that, turning to salute them both right before she leaves, propped up on one leg for dramatic effect, like a wobbly flamingo. They salute back, barely managing to contain their laughter, and she’s off.

\---

Unfortunately, when she finally reaches her intended destination, she realizes just how badly she’s messed up. She’d already had a sinking feeling in her stomach while she was on the bus, the last thing she wants to do is disappoint Professor Hanneman. He’s always been so kind and helpful, and she’s already been late once this month, which was more than she’d been late to any class all year. 

It was really hard, managing a shop all on her own. She’d been running the shop with her dad for years, so she knew some of what to do, but he’d always handled the complicated stuff. Now… she’s on her own. Mostly. There’s only one other person working with her and he’s trying his best to help her, but he still has school too. He handles the shop in the mornings, and her in the evenings. She can usually function on very little sleep, but last night was later than usual. Something… someone was distracting her. It was more than welcome, though. She desperately needed something to keep her mind off everything else.

“Hello, Miss Annette.” A patient voice calls her out of her thoughts, with an ever so slight hint of disappointment. It’s as she feared, she’s missed the whole class. 

Professor Hanneman sees how horrified Annette is, she’s holding back tears. If she hadn’t been so distracted, maybe she’d be more prepared. _This is mortifying._

“I’m so sorry! I...” Desperately reaching for the right words, she comes up empty. She refuses to use what’s been going on as an excuse, that would be unforgivable. 

The grey-haired professor starts carefully towards the delicate girl, trying to signify that he’s not angry and that she’s not in trouble. He gently places his hand on her shoulders. “It’s alright, my dear. Ms. Catherine told me about your father. I am so sorry for your loss.”

“Oh…” This is exactly what she didn’t want. Looks of pity, letting missed assignments pass, giving unearned extra credit, all because someone died. It wasn’t hard, in fact all the extra work was keeping her mind off it. If she slowed down for even a second, she’d have to deal with… everything. _That_ would be too much.

“Come, sit. Don’t worry about your next class, I’ve already spoken to Manuela.” He walks to his desk, and motions to the chair on the other side of it. “You aren’t in trouble, I just want to talk.” Realizing she doesn’t have any excuse to avoid this any longer, Annette nods, moves to the chair and takes off her coat.

“Ms. Catherine also mentioned your current business situation. That’s an awful lot of pressure on such a young person’s shoulders. How are you managing?”

“It is a little tough, but I’m not entirely alone! My friend Ashe works there with me, he was the last person my dad hired before… well. He’s probably the only reason the store’s still functioning to be honest!” She lets out a truly pathetic laugh.

“I see. I’m certainly glad you’re not completely on your own, and I understand you probably don’t want to talk about this right now. I apologize for prying thus far. I just wanted to let you know that I am here if you ever need any help. I’ve had some experience running a business before, I would be more than happy to lend my expertise.” 

“Wow, thank you! That’s really kind of you, Professor!” She forces a smile, eager to get as far away from this conversation as possible. It’s not that she doesn’t appreciate his concern, she really does, but this isn’t a conversation she’s ready to have.

“Of course. I really do admire your work ethic, Miss Annette, but please remember that taking the time you need to grieve is not only healthy, but sometimes necessary. Ah, my apologies, I told myself I wasn’t going to lecture you. Well, I’ve emailed you the notes you missed today. You’re welcome to stay or go home and get some rest, Manuela isn’t expecting you today.”

She simply nods and wanders back to the bus stop. Her school is very small, and very personal. The professors notice when something’s off, and they do their best to help. Whenever she sees it from the outside it seems so lovely, but when it’s directed at her, she can’t help but feel like a burden. She should be better, this shouldn’t be so difficult. _Why am I so weak?_

It’s getting harder to stop her thoughts when there isn’t anyone around to fool. She almost breaks down right there, right where the bus driver, or anyone, would see her. But she doesn’t. Instead, she pops in her earbuds and the world starts to disappear. 

As she stares out the window, she swears she sees a familiar face at a stop light, for a split second. Intense eyes, messy dark blue bun, generally unhappy facial expression… yeah this guy looks familiar. Annette can’t help but smile, she takes this as a sign from the Universe, _the rest of the day might not be so bad._ But she doesn’t see the blonde woman crying in the back seat, or the tears that threaten to make themselves known in the poor man’s eye. She doesn’t even know him, not really. She doesn’t know just how much they need each other, and how much they’re going to.

~*~

It was an average Thursday night in Fhirdiad. 

They were all together, on their way back from the movie theatre. Glenn and Ingrid always insisted that Felix and Sylvain come along, that the four of them were a family. Everytime Felix would argue that he had way too much homework, and everytime Glenn would knock his homework on the ground and say “You love your homework more than me now? Some brother you are.” At first, Felix dreaded movie nights, but he soon grew to look forward to them. 

Their father died when Glenn was 20, the poor guy had to suffer through Felix’s teen years without any help, save for Ingrid’s lectures and Sylvain’s horrible advice. The four of them even lived together until Ingrid and Glenn got married, then they moved down the hall.

They had stopped in front of their apartment building, Glenn shooed the three of them out so he could shop for groceries in peace. It was an average Thursday night, just like every other one. No ominous clouds or creepy witch ladies handing out warnings. It was perfectly fine.

Until they were waving goodbye. Right in front of them, in front of their apartment, Glenns car was hit by a drunk driver. Felix couldn’t hear anything for the rest of the night, repeating the same horrible noise over and over again. 

That was one month ago. Now, their beloved older brother, the man that made having fun possible when the entire world felt like it was falling apart, lies in a coma and none of them can do anything about it. 

Ingrid could barely stand to be in her and Glenn’s apartment without him. She had all but moved into Sylvain and Felix’s, she was there more than they were. Everything about this was hard for all of them, but at least they had each other. 

Mercedes had also become part of the family since her and Sylvain started dating. Glenn loved her, probably more than he loved Sylvain. She was a comfort to all of them, especially Ingrid. The other two weren’t as good with tears as Mercedes.

“Could you give us a minute?” Ingrid says, softly. The florescent hospital lights were getting on Felix’s nerves, he wasn’t gonna complain if he had an excuse to get out of there. He nods, pointing out the window so she knows his intended location.

“I’m gonna call Sylvain so he doesn’t blow your phone up.”

\---

The cold winter sky, grey and hazy, not at all harsh and bright, was a welcome change from those horrible lights. Even if Felix is freezing his ass off. He takes a deep breath, hoping the clear air might clear his head.

For just a minute, he sits on the steps in the parking lot. Every time he looks at a car, all he can see is Glenn… that whole nightmare. It wasn’t that hard to block it out during the day, he always had something else to focus on, but he knows this isn’t healthy. Now, alone with his thoughts, he’s in danger of thinking of all his fears. 

He dials Sylvain’s number then stuffs his glove back on.

“Hey-a Felix!” An all too peppy voice greets him, simultaneously comforting him and making him want to throw his phone out a window. 

“Hey. Ingrid and I are at the hospital. Nothing’s changed, she just wanted to talk to him for a bit.” 

“Oh. Are you two alright?” That pep died quickly.

“No, are you?”

“No.”

_Silence..._

“...So Mercedes told me she called you. What’d you talk about?”

“Like you don’t already know. Like you didn’t tell her to call me!”

“You wound me Felix. I would never discuss your private affairs with my girlfriend without your permission.”

“She literally said you spoke to her about it.”

“Ah shoot. Yeah, well, Annette _is_ her best friend. I’d want to know if some weirdo came into your store and stared at you for two hours.”

“That is _not_ what happened!”

“Well how should I know? You haven’t told me what happened! All I know is you can’t stop talking about the girl.”

“I’ve mentioned her once, Sylvain.”

“Ok yeah, but you’ve mentioned the store a lot more than that, and it’s her store. You talk about the store, you talk about Annette.” _Again with the ‘her store’?_

Felix sighs, breathing deeply. As good as Sylvain is, he is the only person on the planet that can get under Felix’s skin so effortlessly.

“Look, I met a pretty girl and I made her feel uncomfortable. That’s all that happened. Why do you two care so much anyway? Actually, never mind. This is pointless.”

“Ha, okay. Are you and Ingrid gonna be alright?” _I wish you’d stop asking me that. You already know the answer._

“As alright as we can be. Thanks.” _Click_. 

Who knows how long he’ll have to wait here. He can’t go back inside, he wouldn’t know what to say. Glenn always did most of the talking. Now…it’s all on Felix. What if he never wakes up? _What if he dies? What do I do then? What do_ we _do? What is our family without him?_ _I can’t do this…_ _I was never very good at being a brother. Please wake up, Glenn..._

His eyes drift shut as his mind swirls from one unpleasant thought to the next, surrounded by an overwhelming hazy grey… until he remembers. _That girl…_ Her voice seeps into his thoughts, pushing out the grey with a warm blue, and calms his storming mind, as if she’s telling him to _breathe._ How could a person he didn’t even know, someone he barely spoke to, provide such a comfort? Why does he need to see her again? Why does he keep thinking of her v- 

“Felix.” A hand shakes his shoulder, pulling him out of his daydreams. His eyes open before he can even remember where he is, immediately met with Ingrid on the step below. Her eyes are red.

“Yeah. You ok?” He knows the answer, he doesn’t know why he’s even asking. 

“Not even a little.” She forces a pathetic smile, ignoring the tears already pooling in her tired eyes. All Felix can think to do is nod sympathetically, which is a little pathetic. She takes his hand and gives it a squeeze, as if to say ‘ _I see how hard you’re trying, it’s enough,_ ’ and they head home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo.......... im a total music dork.
> 
> By the way!!!! Lysithea and Annette call Hilda 'Dandelion' because her hair is bubblegum pink, and Annette is a fan of Black Moth Super Rainbow; who have an album called 'Dandelion Gum'.  
> incase anyone was wondering.  
> ...  
> :0)


	3. Warmest Part of the Winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, it sure has been a while. ive been crazy distractable and slightly busy for the past few months, and also i kinda hate this chapter for some reason. its really really long... but i did my best!! i hope its alright :)
> 
> chapter title: warmest part of the winter- voxtrot

The second she gets back to the apartment, Annette’s greeted with the smell of nearly-but-not-quite-burnt pancakes and the surprised looks of her two roommates. Even with that blue-haired reminder that the rest of the day might not be that bad, she can’t fake a smile for long. 

Right next to the door, she slides her bag and jacket off her shoulders, kicks off her shoes and slinks over to Hilda, who’s eating a bowl of oatmeal on the couch.

“Oh honey, what’s wrong?”

“I missed the whole class.” Already she has tears in her eyes and she hasn’t even gotten to the hard part yet. Hilda quickly puts her oatmeal on the coffee table and opens her arms, a snuggle invitation. Annette feels a weak smile trying to battle her frown, she dives into her friend’s arms.

“And Catherine told Professor Hanneman about my dad. He talked to Professor Manuela and said I should just go home and get some rest.” Annette feels more tears coming, so she buries her face into Hilda’s pajama shirt. The pink haired didn’t care, she kept stroking her crying friend’s hair.

“I was so embarrassed!” Annette tries to laugh, it mixes with her sobs and comes out as a weird, pathetic sound she cringes at. “Catherine even told him about the store! Why did she do that? Why did she  _ know? _ ”

“I don’t know why she knows. You father probably told her about the store and she assumed he would leave it to you?”

“Maybe…”

“I know that was embarrassing, but honestly my love, you’re spreading yourself too thin. Between the store six nights a week, being a full time student  _ and _ being a kick-ass friend, you’re not giving yourself any time to grieve. And that isn’t ok.” Annette breathes in, preparing herself for more reprimandation.

“Annie, you need help. You need help with the store, and with school, and  _ especially _ with life. You’re not letting yourself have any freetime. You aren’t enjoying yourself, and that also isn’t ok. You don’t have to ‘tough it out’, all that does is exhaust you even more. Tia and I  _ want _ to help you. We’re more than happy to help with the store when we can.” Hilda smiles softly to make sure Annette understands how much they care before turning her head towards the kitchen and shouting, “Right, Tia?”

Lysithea pokes her head through the doorway, putting down a bowl and baby-cheater on the counter. She makes her way over to the lumps of girl on the couch and does her best to hug them both. ”Right! Anything you need, my Nette.” 

“You guys…” No longer filled with the urge to cry, Annette sits up and wipes her eyes, beaming at her two friends. “Thank you.”

“Of course, you goof. By the way, why were you late last night?” Lysithea puts her hands on her hips and raises her eyebrow in a very motherly fashion.

“Oh right! Heh, funny story. Mercie told me a couple of days ago that one of her friends might be coming by the store sometime soon. Apparently he’s a bit of a music snob and is very particular about his CD stores…” She tells the story, feeling increasingly flustered everytime her friends break out into laughter, which is a lot.

“Sounds like he was really into you!” Hilda tries to say, but it comes out patchy through her laughter. She shakes her head, clears her throat and puts on a straight face. “Did you get his number?”

“No! I tried to give him mine, but he forgot his receipt. I’m not worried though. Mercie’s up to something, and when Mercie’s up to something, you  _ know _ that something happens.”

“True. That woman is the kindest, most patient and most terrifying woman I have ever met.” Hilda says as she nods.

“You’d have to be to put up with Sylvain.” Lysithea adds, crossing her arms with a huff.

Just then, as if on cue, Annette’s phone starts to ring. She launches herself up and scrambles back to her bag, just in time to pick up a call from Sylvain.

“Sylvain?”

“Close!”

“Mercie! We were just talking about you!” Annette smiles at her roommates and makes her way back over to her comfy spot on the couch. “And your devious plans! Can I put you on speaker?”

“Of course! This’ll have to be brief though. I just wanted to see how you were doing today? I’m a little surprised you picked up! Aren’t you usually busy this time of day?”

“Yeah, it’s a long story. Are we still on for lunch?”

“Yes! I know it’s only been a couple of days, but I can’t wait to see you again! How are Hilda and Lysithea?”

Hilda takes the phone from Annette, barely beating Lysithea to the punch. “We would be much better if our resident cook could actually cook!” She’s met with a lovingly hate filled glare as the smaller one snatches the phone.

“Annie’s just started telling us about this mysterious grumpy musical snob, though I feel like she’s purposefully leaving out some-” Lysithea shouts over Annette’s pleas and attempts to get her phone back. “-important details. Care to fill us in?”

“Ah yes! Felix! He’s one of Sylvain’s best friends, though really more like a brother. He’s very awkward and sometimes cold, but he’s got a heart of gold!”

“Hmph. If he’s a friend of Sylvain’s I can’t help being a little skeptical.” Hilda adds.

“Believe me, Felix is even less tolerant of Sylvain’s shenanigans than you three combined. Ah! I’m sorry, I have to go! I love you all very much, have a fantastic rest of your day! I’ll see you later, Annie! Bye!”  _ Click. _

Her roommates simultaneously turn to Annette and raise an eyebrow.  _ They must’ve rehearsed that. _

“What?”

“You didn’t mention he was Sylvain’s  _ best _ friend.” Hilda keeps her eyebrow raised and crosses her arms, giving a slightly disapproving look.

“I didn’t even know! Mercie only told me what kind of music he likes, not anything of actual substance.”

“Ha! That’s funny coming from you!” Lysithea snorts as she makes her way back to the kitchen, officially exiting the conversation. Annette sticks her tongue out in response, like the dignified adult she so clearly is.

Hilda shifts in her seat so she’s directly facing the redhead, with a rather worrisome grin plastered on her face.

“Tell me everything you know.”  _ Sigh. _

”Alright fine. Mercie said he tends to be more into folk and indie, sometimes leaning towards alternative and rock. Very  _ very _ rarely does he like pop. Like, once in three blue moons rare.” 

“That sounds a lot like you, Annie.” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

“Um no. I reject those implications, thank you very much. Besides, I don’t detest pop  _ nearly  _ as much as he seems to.”

“Yeah well, we’ve certainly established by this point that he’s a total snob.”

“Heh, true.”

“Hey, are you gonna be okay for the rest of the day? We could do something, if you want. I don’t have class ‘til after you have work.”

“Do you wanna have lunch with me and Mercie?”

“Fuck yeah! I’ll let her know I’m crashing your date.” Hilda pulls out her phone and types a brief message with a loving smile. Any indication of her best friends getting along tends to send Annette into an overly enthusiastic frenzy. She tackles Hilda with a goofy grin, pulling her into yet another hug.

“Ah! This is gonna be so fun!”

~*~

“-with us for lunch!” Felix can hear Mercedes’ muffled voice through the door, missing most of her sentence.

“That’s really lucky! With her coming, there are bound to be even more seeds planted.” Felix and Ingrid can hear Sylvain practically shouting through the door as they approach. As Felix fidgets through his pockets to find his keys, he hears Mercedes giggle.

“When you say it like that it sounds like- Oh! Felix! Ingrid!” As the door opens, Mercedes and Sylvain jump a little, looking extremely guilty. Ordinarily, Felix wouldn’t let these two out of his sight with looks like that, and neither would Ingrid. Glenn would obviously be in on it.

But he knows by now nothing will ever be ordinary again. Exhaustion and annoyance replace what would have been reluctant curiosity, any semblance of patience has been tossed out for rigid irritability.

Unfortunately, his lips turned into a slightly deeper frown than usual is a telltale sign of his discontentment. Mercedes walks over to him, brow furrowed and arms opening, ready to help him through whatever troubles him. 

That is, until Ingrid comes out from behind him. Mercedes takes one look at her and changes course instantly. Wrapped up in a hug, Ingrid is ushered to Sylvain’s room so they can talk in private, leaving Felix and Sylvain in the kitchen. Alone.  _ No no no no I cannot do this right now. _

“Hey.” Sylvain is propped up against the wall near Felix’s bedroom door, arms crossed and eyes filled with concern. It isn’t a look Felix is used to seeing, especially not before a month ago. He knows Sylvain is probably gonna suggest playing video games or something, then after a couple hours of solid distraction, he’ll attack Felix with question after question about Annette and Glenn and anything else under the sun. Fuck, can that boy talk.

Felix shifts slightly behind the kitchen counter, glaring his iciest glare at the red-headed idiot he calls his best friend. “I don’t feel like talking, Sylvain.” He spits out with measurable anger, though at who or what, he isn’t sure. Under his words, of course, he actually means ‘ _ If you don’t leave me alone, I’m gonna cry and neither one of us knows how to deal with that,’  _ but he would never say that outloud.

Sylvain puts his arms down and slouches a bit against the wall, keeping his eyes fixed on Felix’s, like he’s trying to hear what Felix is actually saying. “Yeah, I figured. Wanna do something else?” Something else that would make it hard to talk or cry would be so much more than welcome right about now.

‘ _ Yes, please. Anything.’  _ He tries to say, but all that comes out is “Not with you,” filled with so much anger and underlying sadness that Felix didn’t even know he was feeling. He clenches his fist and turns his gaze from Sylvain’s, hoping the other man won’t see his eyes getting watery. 

The red-head flinches, taken off guard by his friend’s hostility, and crosses his arms with stern eyes.“Ouch. What’s your problem? I just want to help.” This isn’t what Felix is trying to do, he doesn’t want to push Sylvain away right now, but he doesn’t know what else to say. He doesn’t know how to deal with being sad and hurt, and especially not around other people.  _ I can’t cry, not while Ingrid is falling apart. He’s her whole world… she needs us to be strong right now. _

Felix clenches his eyes shut and shakes his head, as if that will get rid of the tears.“Your help does more harm than good, asshole. I don’t feel like talking about some random girl from some random CD store that I made a fool of myself in front of. Leave me alone.” Hoping the malice in his tone will cancel out the overwhelming sadness that’s now trickling down his cheek, he practically throws his words at Sylvain with nightmarish furocity.

Felix, still looking down, hears shuffles and footsteps getting closer, but doesn’t dare look up. “I’m not gonna do that, Felix. Not unless you give me a better reason.” When he feels a gentle hand on his shoulder, he can’t stop himself from meeting Sylvain’s eyes.

“I… you-I can’t do-” Sylvain’s arms wrap around him as he struggles to speak and breathe and  _ not cry. _ Despite his best efforts, tears come pouring out and he has nowhere to go, nothing to do but bury himself in the hug.

A few minutes pass, really as few as possible, before Felix gains control of himself again. Not trusting his weak voice to carry his words, he pushes himself out of his friend’s arms, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. A few more minutes pass before he looks up at the other man, eyes still tired and red.

“What do you want to do?” Sylvain finally says after ten minutes of silence, “Video games?” He’s clearly not gonna give up on this, Felix can hear in his voice just how much his friend doesn’t want him to be alone. With a sigh, Felix lifts his head and meets Sylvain’s concerned brown eyes across the counter. Felix’s own eyes soften, the closest thing he has to a weak smile, and he nods, hoping Sylvain can hear his silent  _ Thank you _ .

~*~

“Hey-a Mercie! Is everything ok?” Annette answers her phone, this time buzzing with Mercedes’ caller ID. It’s unlike her to call twice in one hour, unless something’s wrong.

“Hi! I wouldn’t say things are bad, but they definitely aren’t great. Is it alright if Ingrid joins us for lunch? She really shouldn’t be alone right now, and I can hear her stomach rumbling.”

“Of course! Quick question though.”

Mercedes hums, clearly pre-occupied. The faint sound of running water is a staple of most calls with Mercedes, but she usually does the dishes in the evening. Perhaps, just like the entire rest of this day, this is a rather unusual situation. 

“Where are we meeting?”

“Right!” The water turns off, and Mercedes is probably leaning against the counter with her giant rubber gloves on, barely resisting the urge to rest her chin on her hands, like she often does when thinking. “I was hoping we could meet at my place, Emile really wants to see you again, but Ingrid has offered her apartment. I think, for her sake, that’s the best option.”

“No problem what-so-ever! Would we be going somewhere else, or just hanging out there?”

“I think hanging out there would be best. Do you mind picking up some drinks and food on your way here?” 

“Of course not! Hilda will probably want to decide where we go, is that alright with you two?”

“Yes, Ingrid will eat pretty much anything. Is there anything else you might need to know?”

“Uhhh I don’t think so. Usually I’d ask how nervous I should be, but from everything you’ve told me about Ingrid, that doesn’t sound like it should be too much of an issue… right?”

“I promise you three will get along so well. Though I would brace yourselves for an awkward start, just in case.”

“Wowsers, that’s a pretty confident claim. But ok, I trust you. Is forty minutes still ok?”

“Yup! I’ll send you the address when we hang up. I’ll see you soon!” They say their goodbyes and hang up. As soon as the call ends, Mercedes keeps her promise and sends the address along with written instructions on what to do at the lobby, because she knows that being clueless in situations like that freaks Annette out.

After about seven minutes of puzzling out how long it would take to get to the apartment and where they want to get food, Annette and Hilda, only having about three minutes to get ready if they want to get there on time, rush about the apartment in a frenzy. They’re lucky the redhead’s already dressed, the only thing she needs to do is empty out her heavy books from her backpack and stuff in a scarf she forgot to return to Mercie when they last saw each other.

Hilda, on the other hand, is nowhere near as prepared. She’s still in her pajamas, slowly traipsing about the apartment as if they aren’t going to be late, seemingly ignoring her roommate’s pleading eyes. As much as she loves her pink haired dandelion, Annette has to admit she can be a little disrespectful of other people’s time. The redhead says as much when, eight more minutes later, Hilda  _ finally _ emerges from her room, ready to seize the day. The only reply she receives from her pink sluggish friend is a guiltless, genuine and loving grin. It’s hard to be upset at a smile like that. All Annette can do is roll her eyes and poorly hide a growing smile as she takes her friends hand and pulls her to the car.

Unfortunately for the usually punctual red-head, traffic lights and long lines have different plans for them today. When they finally arrive at the apartment door, burgers and fries in hand, Annette barely even knocks once before the door swings open with enough force to pull her down if she were holding the handle. She stares at her hand for a second before her mind catches up and she raises her head to meet a new blonde woman. A beautiful blonde woman, who looks  _ very angry. Heck, are we in the wrong place? _

Before Annette can even apologize profusely then promptly run away, the blonde’s face softens into surprise as her hand covers her mouth. “Oh! I’m so sorry, I thought you were Sylvain!” Annette can feel her whole body relax. Hilda puts a hand on her shoulder and gives the blonde a sympathetic smile.

“We understand the paranoia.” She starts as she sticks her free hand out towards the blonde. ”I’m guessing you’re Ingrid?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” The blonde, Ingrid, takes Hilda’s hand with a genuine though somewhat pained smile before her eyes inevitably drift down towards the food bag. Her stance, previously peaceful enough, has suddenly shifted into something almost… predatory. “You must be Annette and Hilda and  _ food. _ Come in come in come in!” She steps to the side to let them in, motioning frantically to the couch, where a beautiful and perfect Mercedes sits, like the angel she is. Hilda and Lysithea are fantastic at hugs, but nobody can fix a bad day like Mercie.

As Ingrid hurries about the kitchen, Annette finds herself moving towards her best friend, as if by instinct. She flops down on the couch the second she reaches it, falling into Mercedes’ already open arms. She hums softly, as she does without fail every time Annette needs her to.

Ingrid comes back with plates and sets them down on the table in front of the couch. She claps her hands together, gaining the attention of the three other girls who were either looking at their phones or smothering Mercedes to death. 

“So! Mercedes has told me so much about you too, I kind of feel like I already know you.” Ingrid’s smile is another strange mix of confident and… afraid? Though of what, Annette can’t be sure. “I don’t know how much you know about me though.” Hilda gives a snort in response. Clearly the wrong answer as the blondes shoulders immediately tense, and the fear hiding in the back of her eyes comes full front.  _ Hmmm… what is she afraid of? _

“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s just… I was thinking of something Annette said about this boy she met.” As Hilda speaks, a mischievous smile grows on her face, earning her one of Annette’s patented death glares. She almost starts to refute any ridiculous claim that is sure to come out of her traitorous roommate’s mouth when she notices Ingrid’s expression. She’s almost fully relaxed, actually she looks about ready to burst out laughing. In a desperate attempt to find an ally in this room of judgement, Annette looks up to Mercedes, who is also biting back a smile. A childishly confused and annoyed huff escapes Annette’s nose, which only earns her a very patient pat on the head.

“Please do tell!” Ingrid beams, and Annette finds that this humiliating conversation will be totally worth it if Ingrid keeps smiling like that. Though they’d never met before today, Mercedes  _ had, _ in fact, talked about Ingrid quite a bit. Lately, whenever she’d come up in conversation, Mercedes always sounded a little sad, but she never said why. Annette can only assume it’s because she’s going through something tough, and Mercedes has all but confirmed that with today’s change of plans, so she’ll try her best to keep the girl smiling.

“Gladly! So you know that Annie works at a CD store, right?” Hilda manages to say through giggles. Ingrid starts to nod in response, but seems to be hit with a sudden realization. Her smile grows twice as big, her eyes fill with mischief. She finally nods, holding back laughter at something Annette doesn't even begin to understand. Hilda pushes on.

She tells the whole story, ignoring Annette’s protests and even trapping her on the couch with Mercedes’ assistance. Ingrid is smiling and laughing along, as if this is the most entertaining story in the world.

“Oh man! That's… that's very Felix!” 

“Wait, do you know him?!” Annette and Hilda practically shout at the same time, the latter finally loosening her grip on the former. Ingrid and Mercedes both laugh in response, frantically nodding as if this was obvious.

After a couple more seconds of this mean spirited laughter (at least according to Annette) Ingrid manages to calm down a bit, her expression softening into something...wistful. “Yeah, he’s my brother in law.” 

“WHAT!?!?” Hilda exclaims, jumping up off the couch, accidentally pushing Annette aside in her excitement. “No way!”

“Why didn't you warn me, Mercie? That's so not fair!” The redhead mumbles to her angelic friend, whose sitting on the couch, hands folded in lap with the purest, most innocent expression on her face, as if she's never done anything wrong in her life. And as far as Annette is concerned, she hasn't.

“I'm sorry, my love. I didn't plan for this today and I wasn't sure if Ingrid wanted to talk about it.” Mercedes’ soft and knowing smile calms the anxious ginger enough for her to realize Ingrid’s eyes are getting misty.

“O-oh. Is something wrong?”

Ingrid shakes her head, wiping the tears pooling in her eyes. “No, I'm sorry. I just… things are… tough right now. Felix is like my brother and my best friend, and I'm so happy he has… something good to think about now.” She smiles gently at Annette.

Clearly, this was meant to be a sweet gesture, an olive branch if you will, to reach towards Annette and say ‘I approve!’ The issue is,  _ WHAT ARE YOU APPROVING?!?! _

Annette turns bright red. Swarmed with confusing thoughts leading to confusing conclusions, berated with anger and embarrassment,  _ clearly not _ thinking straight, Annette decides she simply  _ must _ clear up this grave misunderstanding. “W-what? What do you mean?! I don't even know him… we met once! I doubt he even remembers me, or at least he won't by this time next week! I mean he was cute and all but I made a major fool of myself, I doubt he thinks anything good of me at all and-” 

Annette’s desperate rambles are interrupted by a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I don't think that's true at all. If anything, it sounds like  _ he _ should be embarrassed! Not that I can blame him for getting distracted like that. You have a mesmerizing voice.” Mercedes, her best friend in the whole world, human embodiment of sunshine and love, smiles and all her fears disappear. 

For ten whole minutes, they ate in a comfortable silence. Ingrid had somehow been instantly accepted, not an ounce of awkwardness after the initial conversation, just as Mercedes had promised. After they were done eating, getting to know each other truly began. Favorite colors, foods, taste in music, etc. Hilda complained about her older brother, Mercedes gushed about hers. Ingrid and Annette began to bond over their recent losses, both starting to cry and hugging each other as if they'd known the other their whole life. 

Once she was feeling brave enough, Annette finally asked about Felix.

“So… seeing as pretty much all I know about him is his taste in music… um. Tell me about him?”

“Ah ha! So you  _ are _ interested!”

“Oh hush you. Haven't you prodded me enough, Dandy?” Hilda rolls her eyes and sticks out her tongue in response.

“What would you like to know?” Ingrid asks earnestly, tilting her head to one side.

“Um… I don’t really know.” Annette props her chin on her hand, sorting through questions she might ask in her head. “Aside from music, what does he like? And what is he studying?”

“Well, there isn’t much he likes all that much that isn’t music, save for maybe kickboxing. He and Glenn used to spend all of their time at the gym together, they were practically unbeatable. As for what he’s studying, I don’t remember exactly what it is but I do know that it’s something that has to do with music, unsurprisingly.”

Annette nods, mentally writing down all this information. Maybe it’s weird to be so interested in a total stranger, but it’s pretty clear at this point that Mercedes intends on setting them up together. She might as well be prepared.

After yet another few moments of comfortable silence, they decide to watch a movie together until Annette has to go to work. Annette and Ingrid realize their friends are determined to spend the day together, probably so that they don’t have to be alone for even a second. From their snuggle pile on the couch, all Annette can feel is warmth.


End file.
